The embodiments described herein relate generally to well treatment methods and systems.
A variety of known processes are used in the oil and gas industry to treat wells extending into subterranean formations. Oil and gas well treatments include well completion, production stimulation, fluid loss control, and water production control. Gels comprise one of a variety of materials used in the technology to accomplish these treatments.
Fracture stimulation may be used to increase the production of hydrocarbons from wells, such as in lower quality reserves. Known practices include forming a well bore in a subterranean formation and inserting a well casing in the well bore. Perforations in sections of a well casing allow fracturing fluid at high pressure to initiate and then propagate a fracture in the formation during each fracturing stage while a proppant carried by the fracturing fluid lodges in the fractures. A viscosifying agent, such as a gel, may assist with suspending proppant carried by the fracturing fluid to reduce settling before the proppant flows into the fractures. Gel may provide other benefits.
Known polymers for producing gel used in fracturing or other treatment fluids include natural polymers, such as, guar gum, xanthan gum, and hydroxyethylcellulose (HEC) along with chemically modified guar gum derivatives, including hydroxypropyl guar (HPG), carboxymethylhydroxypropyl guar (CMHPG) and carboxymethyl guar (CMG). Natural polymers used for well treatment are often obtained as solids, for example, powders or flakes. The solid polymer is dissolved in a solvent to provide a gel. For the case of water-soluble polymers, dissolution of the solid may involve hydration in water as the solvent. The polymer may be mixed with a carrier fluid at a polymer to carrier fluid ratio to achieve desired gel properties. The carrier fluid is often an aqueous-based fluid, although other fluids are known.
A significant amount of energy and space in known well treatment processes may be committed to dissolving polymers in preparing gels. Accordingly, further advancement in well treatment methods and systems may be of benefit.